spring is here

[sjurba]

Nice to see some life in the sea again after a long cold winter. Got a few saith today, sea is warming up, a toasty 6 degrees, wiz getting worse though, about 2 m in the surface and maybe 6-8 ish abit further down. Came across a large school of them when checking a new spot.

 

[diddavetellyou]

Hi sjurba,

Nice looking haul of fish for this time of year

How long do you dive for in that temp and deal with the cold? Im guessing you have a pretty good wetsuit 7mm?

It just I was in a lake that was 4C on sat and it was almost unbearable.

http://forums.deeperblue.com/uk-ireland/96877-plymouth-freediving-club.html

Is it a matter of manning the f*&$ up or does it get easier the more times you do it?

Sorry for all the questions but would appreciate your thoughts on cold water diving as someone who does it more than most.


diddavetellyou

_________________


have dry-bag will travel

 

[Mr. X]

Nice pollock, nice speargun with the carved decoration. Are those "wings" to reduce muzzle lift half-way down?

 

[bobdonny]

Awesome! well done you!

 

[sjurba]

Thanks! Its not pollock its a close relative wich I think is called saith or whitefish... It got a straight sideline and a smaller head, its fairly abundant in the norwegian fjords,but usually abit later in spring. I use a 7mm polosub with long john trousers. In waters warmer than 6-7 degrees I can be in as long as I like,the important thing is to have good socks and threefinger gloves (7mm) I bring a thermos of hot water and put some in my socks and gloves before putting them on,that way I start the dive warm. Ive allso made a ninja face mask to keep my face a bit more protected,just cut a strip of 3mm neoprene made a hole for the snorkel an sown it together so it fits around my head. There is a big diffrence to how freshwater and saltwater feels, I dont know why,but freshwater feels extremely cold.
The wings on the speargun was added abit as an afterthought,to add some mass and boyancy to a slim gun,it works,kind of,but unfortunately the gun is a bit underpowered and I dont think I can add thicker bands to it,so its heading for the shelf together with some other mis designed guns. I went back the day after with my new 80 midhandle,which works superbly. Even though its range is way too short for theese conditions, I managed six more saith(?) and a cod the lenght of my speargun... Wery good start to the season indeed

 

[sjurba]

Catch day two

 

[grantl]

Thanks! Its not pollock its a close relative wich I think is called saith or whitefish

We also call them Saithe or Coley / Coalfish. A very nice eating fish

 

[sjurba]

Yeah, that's the one. They're really nice filleted and rolled in flour fried in butter.

 

[diddavetellyou]

Hi sjurba,

I use a 7mm polosub with long john trousers. In waters warmer than 6-7 degrees I can be in as long as I like,the important thing is to have good socks and threefinger gloves (7mm) I bring a thermos of hot water and put some in my socks and gloves before putting them on,that way I start the dive warm. Ive allso made a ninja face mask to keep my face a bit more protected,just cut a strip of 3mm neoprene made a hole for the snorkel an sown it together so it fits around my head. There is a big diffrence to how freshwater and saltwater feels, I dont know why,but freshwater feels extremely cold.

Thanks for the info sound like you have spent a long time finding that setup. Loving the sound of your home made ninja mask, I have an old wetsuit here I could cut up to make something. I am really skint at the moment so I think the cheapest answer kit wise is to just jump in the sea and wait for the lake to warm up in the summer when I’m back down from uni again. Maybe next year or Christmas time I will put together some cold water gear.

I have been working on my own spear gun as well but think I’m going to bite the bullet and just buy my one so I can get out in the water with the guys I’ve met here on DB.

Cant wait to catch my first ever fish


diddavetellyou

_________________


have dry-bag will travel

 

[sjurba]

Ninja mask, not my own invention, got the idea from a mate